Map Rest Connector Object Response into a Process Variable (complex Business Object with MULTIPLE Business OBject, including LISTs)

enriiic · 16 June 2020 22:33

I am calling this service I've found in other examples https://www.metaweather.com/api/location/44418/, from a REST Connector out and it returns a complex structure.

All the examples I've found extract a single STRING from the complex structure (from bodyAsObject) without issues. I could do so also without any problem.

But, when I try to map the full object to a process variable, I keep getting parsing or type error messages. Even if I only try to extract a List. In this example, let's say I need to extract bodyAsObject.sources.

In the BDM, I created a New Business Object called: 'TestService' that contains a variable called 'sources' that is Multiple of type source, where source is another Business Object that has 4 elements:

- title (STRING),

- slug (STRING),

- url (STRING)

- crawl_rate (STRING).

Then I created a process variable called testService of type com.company.model.TestService

Then in the REST Connector / Output operations, I configure:

testService - Use a Java method - setSources(List<source>)

With the following script:

return bodyAsObject.sources

When I test it it returns an ArrayList. I tried many things to parse it and no one worked. When I run the process it fails on this Service Task.

Is there anything I am missing?

Thanks

romain.bioteau · 20 June 2020 09:05

Hi, You can write a script in the connector output that look like this:

//Returns a list of com.company.model.Source 
bodyAsObject.sources.collect{ 
    def source = new com.company.model.Source() 
    source.title = it.title 
    source.slug = it.slug 
    source.url = it.url 
    source.crawl_rate = it.crawl_rate 
    source
}

Be aware that Business Object should be used in Business variables and not in Process variables.

HTH
Romain

Edit: fix typo in script

enriiic · 29 June 2020 19:18

Thanks for your answer. I tried this and, even though it is not erroring out, it is not returning the four attributes. It only returns the last one. In this case 'crawl_rate'. And it just returns a list of integers.

>(c) ArrayList<E> : [360,480,360,180,360,720,360]

If I change the order, say I leave title for the last one, it returns a list of strings, containing all the titles from the list.

I tried with all variables and all work the same way.It also works mapping the return to a business variable through the java method 'setSources()'.

I tried adding a line 'source' to return the full object. Having the following script:

bodyAsObject.sources.collect{
    def source = new com.company.model.Source()
    source.url = it.url
    source.slug = it.slug
    source.title = it.title
    source.crawl_rate = it.crawl_rate
    source
}

But then I'm back to my original issue returning complex objects:

java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
org.bonitasoft.engine.exception.BonitaRuntimeException: Unable to deserialize object <object-stream>
  <map>
    <entry>
      <string>output0</string>
      <list>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>BBC</title>
          <slug>bbc</slug>
          <url>http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/</url>
          <crawl__rate>360</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>Forecast.io</title>
          <slug>forecast-io</slug>
          <url>http://forecast.io/</url>
          <crawl__rate>480</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>HAMweather</title>
          <slug>hamweather</slug>
          <url>http://www.hamweather.com/</url>
          <crawl__rate>360</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>Met Office</title>
          <slug>met-office</slug>
          <url>http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/</url>
          <crawl__rate>180</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>OpenWeatherMap</title>
          <slug>openweathermap</slug>
          <url>http://openweathermap.org/</url>
          <crawl__rate>360</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>Weather Underground</title>
          <slug>wunderground</slug>
          <url>https://www.wunderground.com/?apiref=fc30dc3cd224e19b</url>
          <crawl__rate>720</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
        <com.company.model.Source>
          <title>World Weather Online</title>
          <slug>world-weather-online</slug>
          <url>http://www.worldweatheronline.com/</url>
          <crawl__rate>360</crawl__rate>
        </com.company.model.Source>
      </list>
    </entry>
  </map>
</object-stream>
com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.ConversionException:
---- Debugging information ----
cause-exception     : com.thoughtworks.xstream.mapper.CannotResolveClassException
cause-message       : com.company.model.Source
class               : java.util.ArrayList
required-type       : java.util.ArrayList
converter-type      : com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.collections.CollectionConverter
path                : /map/entry/list/com.company.model.Source
line number         : 6
class[1]            : java.util.HashMap
converter-type[1]   : com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.collections.MapConverter
version             : 1.4.10
-------------------------------
com.thoughtworks.xstream.mapper.CannotResolveClassException: com.company.model.Source

Full error here:https://www.heypasteit.com/clip/0IUTUS

I am testing it from the test button in the connector wizard.

For any List of Objects in the BDM, I try to return a List of the same objects in the Script of the connector and I keep getting this message.

I need to return these lists of objects to map them in the UI for both tables and select widgets. Is this the correct way to do so? Using a complex multiple variable in the BDM and trying to map it in the connector output wizard?

Is it possible to do what I am trying? Because it looks to me it should be done this way but Bonita is doing something extra in the engine.

Thanks for the help!

enriiic · 29 June 2020 19:33

Even when I don't work with lists. Using the java method 'addToSources(Source)' and being the script:

def source = new com.company.model.Source()
source.url = "it.url"
source.slug = "it.slug"
source.title = "it.title"
source.crawl_rate = 1

return source

I am getting the "Unable to deserialize object" error

romain.bioteau · 30 June 2020 07:32

This is an issue only occurring using Test connector as the BDM jar is NOT in the classpath.
It will work properly in the process.

Generated bdm-pojo.jar should be suggested in classpath jar list when testing a connector.

enriiic · 1 July 2020 13:22

It worked thanks!

Now I have:

- Source: {title, slug, url, crawl_rate}

- Sources: Source Multiple

- InfoTables: {Sources,...} // it contains many lists to be displayed in UI tables

I am mapping infoTables in a task contract but when I try to map it into a table in the UI using, as I do with JSON variables in the UI:

InfoTables.Sources

Is there an specific way to do it that I am missing?

romain.bioteau · 1 July 2020 15:33

I do not understand what you are trying to achieve. Can you be more specific ? If it is a question unrelated with REST connector output mapping, please open a new question.

enriiic · 1 July 2020 16:39

I have 10 different lists of constant values to load in Select and table Widgets. I'd like to have just one variable in the contract for this purpose. I grouped all the lists in a single parent object. My BDM for an example looks like this

BDM Model Name Attrubute Name Type Multiple

InformationCombos

sources

		<p>List2</p>

		<p>...</p>

		<p>List10</p>
		</td>
		<td>
		<p>Sources</p>

		<p>Type2</p>

		<p>...</p>

		<p>Type10</p>
		</td>
		<td>No</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td>Sources</td>
		<td>source</td>
		<td>Source</td>
		<td>Yes</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td>Source</td>
		<td>
		<p>Key</p>

		<p>Value</p>
		</td>
		<td>
		<p>String</p>

		<p>String</p>
		</td>
		<td>No</td>
	</tr>
</tbody>

Then in the UI I try to reference this in the Available Values section of a Select Widget but I can't make it show. I tried many things but looks like I'm doing something wrong.

InformationCombos.Sources
InformationCombos.Sources.value
Used generated variable: InformationCombos_sources_source
...

Nothing works.

My variable is an external API type:

informationCombos ../{{context.informationCombos_ref.link}}

romain.bioteau · 2 July 2020 07:45

If the relation on your BusinessObject are lazy there are not loaded with the parent and an additional request must be performed.

Check the how to use the `lazyRef` filter in the doc.

Or you can use an eager (always load children values) relation if it suits your use case.

HTH

Romain

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Map Rest Connector Object Response into a Process Variable (complex Business Object with MULTIPLE Business OBject, including LISTs)

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